Naomi & Woody

Saturday night in Cannes for the premiere of You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (positive reviews from 3 journalists I spoke with), Naomi Watts arrived on the carpet in pale pink Gucci and red lips. It was spectacular. Not sure if it’s photographing as well as it was in person but in person, I promise you, breathtaking. She’s been breathtaking here the entire time. At the photocall, at the gala, and also last night in a black suit with harem pants and sassy yellow heels.

The tradition in Cannes is to wait at the top of the carpet and walk in a line with the cast and director. Naomi stayed with her people, especially Woody Allen, and did not pose alone. Not for a single frame. If you see single frame shots of her it’s only because they cropped out the others or it was when she was leaving. There was no proper posing solo. The photographers, they were calling for it. But she refused to leave Woody’s side. Everyone worships him. His actors, they adore him. And I can tell you also that, at least during the press conference, he had the international media eating out of his hand. Because, obviously, Woody is exceptionally clever and talented and self-deprecatingly funny. His body of work is outstanding. All this is undeniable. But there’s always that But. Laura, Dylan, and I spent a lot of time debating it yesterday. Is it fair that we can’t separate the art from the artist and what the artist did in his personal life? Europeans don’t have as much of a problem with his personal life as we do in North America. I’ll never be able to be that European.

Interestingly enough, during the presser, Woody was asked about why he hasn’t put himself in his last two films. His response was that he’s old and it’s no fun being old and not getting the girl. Everyone laughed. He went on to say that he has wonderful actresses as his leads and it’s heartbreaking for him as a man to not be able to be their leading men. Like Scarlett Johansson and, sitting next to him, Naomi Watts. So Naomi is right beside him, and the first name that comes to mind is Scarjo? It’s not a big deal, but it’s a little eyebrow raiser, non?

One more thing: who does Woody want to work with? Cate Blanchett and Reese Witherspoon. Admires both very much. Just hasn’t written anything for them yet. Would love to see how tight ass Reese is with Woody Allen on a film.